Air pollution directly affects cognition in elderly individuals, German researchers said at the 2015 meeting of the American Thoracic Society, after analyzing data on the link between impaired lung function and cognitive decline. What are some other health risks from air pollution? Click through to find out. (ThinkstockNadofotos) Decades from now, we might have to apologize to future generations for some of the damage done to our planet and their health. Meanwhile, past generations might want to get their “I’m...

The CDC has records of the deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks since the early 1970s, and five of the top ten outbreaks have occurred since 2000. Click through to see history's deadliest outbreaks. (Thinkstock/Jupiterimages) Summer barbecues and picnics normally provide a catalyst for foodborne illness outbreaks. But the 2013 foodborne illness season continues to gain momentum, even in the middle of fall. (ABOVE: Ten Killer Foodborne Illness Outbreaks) Headlined by the 338-person salmonella outbreak caused by Foster Farms chicken, more foodborne...

10. High school sports can cause serious injuries and even death. For example, from 1982 to 2011, boy’s cross-country had a fatality rate of .36 per 100,000 children, according to data from the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research. Here’s a countdown to the deadliest high school sport. (Thinkstock/Jupiterimages) Few things can stop football teams from competing. Despite rain, snow and injuries, players tend to play all four quarters. In recent years, one previously ignored hazard has prevented players...

Working outside in your garden can do more than fill your yard with pretty plants — it could prolong your life, according to a new study. In the over 60 age bracket, gardening can cut the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 30 percent — extending life by just as much — researchers said in the online edition of theBritish Journal of Sports Medicine. That’s because gardening counts as moderate exercise ideal for older people who don’t often...

Most of us are chronically sleep-deprived. After awhile, all the skipped ZZZs can leave our brains operating like we’re constantly drunk — seriously. And that’s not all sleep deprivation does to your body. Click through to find out more. (Thinkstock/Stockbyte) Are you ready to 'fall back'? This weekend marks the end of 2013'sdaylight-saving time. We set back our clocks one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3. Although our mornings will be brighter, most Americans will now start to...

Queens, NY - Breezy Point - Oct. 30, 2012. (Credit: Natalie Keyssar) The devastation following Hurricane Sandy's battering of the U.S. East Coast one year ago was enormous. The superstorm destroyed or damaged thousands of homes, closed businesses and the New York Stock Exchange, flooded the subway system, and even wiped out years of biomedical research at universities. (ABOVE: Superstorm Sandy Then and Now EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS) Less publicized, however, was a disturbing public health threat seen in emergency rooms across...

Rain in the forecast could force some alterations to your Halloween costume. Adding a jacket might be necessary, according to the forecast for some areas. One more last-minute change to consider: Leave the decorative contact lenses at home. (MORE: 10 Real-Life Health Horror Stories for Halloween) If used without a doctor’s approval, color contact lenses can cause blindness, conjunctivitis, corneal infection or pink eye. Many people wear these contacts without making sure they fit properly, sometimes leading to scratches on...

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative continues to face difficulty eliminating the highly contagious virus because of dropping immunization rates in parts of the world. On October 17, doctors diagnosed at least 10 Syrian children with the virus, according to a new report from the World Health Organization. (MORE: America’s Deadliest Infectious Disease Outbreaks) A total of 22 children were diagnosed with acute flaccid paralysis, a sign of polio. As of last week, further investigation determined 10 of these children had...

((Thinkstock/Hemera Technologies)) New York City took a major step toward raising the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21 on Wednesday. The New York City Council passed a bill that would restrict anyone under the age of 21 from buying cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos, according to the New York Times. (MORE: Cancer, Asthma and Other Ways Air Pollution Hurts) The bill passed 35 to 10 and only requires Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s signature to become a...

(Thinkstock/Digital Vision) About 12 percent of spices imported to the United States are contaminated with insect parts, whole insects, excrement, rodent hairs, feathers and other things, according to a new analysis from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The findings, which were released Wednesday, are part of a comprehensive food-safety report by the administration. Microbial pathogens such as salmonella were found in about 7 percent of imported spices, the report found. From 1973 to 2010, 14 spice-linked foodborne-illness outbreaks occurred...

Added sugar is everywhere, padding your waistline and upping your risk for a host of diseases. In the following photos, each cube of cane sugar equals one teaspoon, meaning that each time you eat the listed serving size of these foods, you’re consuming that many teaspoons of sugar. (Edecio Martinez and Camille Mann/Weather.com) As we head into the holiday season, some people will start watching their sugar intake a little more closely. (After all, Americans consume more candy on Halloween...

The number of malaria cases in the United States is the highest in more than 40 years, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2011, there were 1,925 reported malaria cases in the country, the highest since 1971, and a 14 percent increase from 2010, the CDC said. (ABOVE: Deadly Diseases from Mosquitos, Ticks and More) Almost all U.S. residents who got malaria acquired the disease while traveling in another country. Nearly 70...